TERRIBLE RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5374, 6 September 1904, Page 7

TERRIBLE RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

THE PUEBLO CATASTROPHE. TRAIN' FALLS INTO A. RIVKB. BRIDGE WE AK ENKD BY A FLOOD. ('Per Ventura, at Auckland.) PUEBLO (COL.), August 8. The wreck of the World's Fair flyer on the Denver and Rio Grande railroad, :ncar Eden, seven miles north of Pueblo, last evening, proves to have boon ono of tho greatest railroad disasters in the history of this country. Two crowded passenger cars and a baggage car were engnlphod in a torrent that loro out a trestle spanning Steele’s Jfollow, otherwise known as Dry Creek. So far as is known to-night, only three occupants of those cars escaped death. Tortnnately, two sleepers and a diner completing the train remained on the track. How many perished probably will never bo definitely ascertained. Ihc treacherous sands arc drifting over the bodies. At 8 o’clock this evening reveal,yiix bodies had boon recovered, and of these more than fifty were identified during tho day. liodies were recovered all way along tho Fountainriver from the scone of tho wre-eu to this city. None of tho bodies are badly mutilated, and all are in such condition as to ho recognisable. So quietly had tho catastrophe been enacted that tho occupants of tho three cars remaining on tho track did not realise that the accident had occurred until they alighted from the train. They were utterly powerless to render any assistance to tho victims, who had disappoarod in the rushing waters. Tho engine-driver, Charles Hindman, was running cautiously about, fit teen miles an hour ns he approached Arroyo, which was spanned by a budge ‘Jtjft in length. The condition ot flip bridge was not known until tho locomotive, one ot monster passenger type, had nearly crossed. The fireman used a largo torch to ascertain tho condition of tho track. A tremor in tho great machine was felt, and as tho engineer caught a glimmer on tho water, ho shouted his last words “ Pub out time torch,” evidently thinking that the ilamo would serve to spread a. lire. Bur, , before tho fireman could obey, while tho words were still on his lips, tho bridge gave way, and the locomotive dropped with a- hissing of steam, through' 30ft of flood to tho bottom ot tho Arroyo. The baggage car, smoker, find chair cars followed tho locomotive into tho stream, and wore swept away. Tho fireman, as tho locomotive wont over, was thrown out, and, managing to grasp a piece of wreckage from tho bridge, floated with that to a curve, mid crept .out of tho water. Ho van toward Eden, meeting on tho way .. several people who saw tho light being extinguished. There were cries coming ' from tho distance. Physicians, wreck and pile-driving outfits, and scores of workmen were hurried from tho city. Tho first train from the wreck came in shortly after midnight with Air J. M. Killin, of Pueblo, whoso escape was miraculous, Mr H. S. Gilbert Fisher, and Fireman Mayfield. Five hundred men scanned every inch of tho river and its surroundings a few hours after daylight. They waded in the stream, and carried out tho mudbegrimed bodies, which were found at widely separated points—some of them miles from the scene of tho accident. Somo of tho searchers worked all night and all day, and never onca thought of eating or resting. People were constantly arriving, and anxiously inquiring for lost ones known to have been on the train. By 9 o’clock in tho morning the plains were dotted with vehicles, each with its load of anxious seekers or morbidly curious. More than ono thousand people were on tho scene two hours before noon, and roads in every direction were filled with people coming away. Tho list of the identified dead now numbers ©ighty-threo. Tho general manager of the Denver and Bio Grande railroad said to-day the company was in no way responsible for the wreck. It was one of those unavoidable accidents which are liable to occur on any railroad when a flood happened. Tho bridge was subjected to regular inspections by the company’s bridgd superintendent, and was as safe as any other on "the Denver and Bio Grande line.